Some of the biggest problems we face in Boston are unemployment, city budgeting and understanding where our tax money is being spent. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the national debt equated to $59,143 per person or $159,759 per working taxpayer in March 2016. Having such a high debt ratio to the population, combined with unemployment, results in higher taxation, and one can question where our tax money is being spent. There are many areas in our yearly budget that could be modified and improved.
Roughly 53% of Americans are working- or lower-class citizens who make anywhere between $10,000 and $40,000 with an average tax rate of 10.6% solely in federal taxation. Our problem of paying such high taxes is not mainly a problem of our government, but it relies on us citizens not having the initiative to fix our own problem and help society improve without relying on the government.
We need to work hand in hand with our perspective government to repair our problems and eliminate them. One of our major problems is not having an adequate number of workers able to work in our industries and the high demand of salary rises every year. One of the first questions any job application asks the applicant is their place of residence. Without a permanent address, people can’t even mail or acquire a phone to apply for potential jobs. Homelessness is the greatest problem we face in our economy, and it’s being overlooked. Homelessness not only affects our community but the next generation too. Eliminating homelessness is possible if we work together as a community. The federal government sets budgets every year to support and help those in need, covering SNAP or food assistance, homeless shelters, social workers, medical expenses, funeral expenses, transportation and law enforcement, etc. Billions of dollars are spent every year to help, support and combat homelessness.
By eliminating homelessness, we could reduce our individual taxation, decrease the national debt and provide more opportunity for others. According to the New Boston Post, “as of last year’s census, the number of homeless families in Boston stood at 1,543, including 4,281 men, women and children.” This number is extremely high, and it’s being overlooked. Nevertheless, the way to eliminate homelessness is right in front of us.
If the predicted population of Boston in 2016 was 667,294, it means a ratio of approximately 1 homeless person per 156 individuals. The estimated cost of living is approximately $15,000 per year, which translates to about $1,250 per month. With that money, we could help those who are homeless start a new life. If each person set aside $8 a month or $96 a year, we would successfully eliminate homelessness in our city and provide everyone in need with a chance to start a new life. Such action would not only help change the face of the city and set a standard for other cities; it could also impact the nation to follow in our footsteps and eliminate homelessness forever. This would help our government reduce taxation, resulting in a lower national debt.
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